Niagara Region earns safety grant

​Niagara Region Emergency Management has earned one of four $25,000 ImpactWx Genesis grants, which will help educate children about severe weather preparedness.

“Weather Aware & Prepared” is in partnership with the Canadian Meteorological and Oceanographic Society as well as the Niagara Safety Village.

The grant will allow for the development of a severe weather education program for children that will be delivered at the Niagara Safety Village in Welland. Using research and best practices, kids will be empowered to keep themselves and their families safe from severe weather.

Severe weather includes any destructive weather such as tornadoes, damaging winds, large hail, heavy snow, and ice storms.

A special branch of Niagara Region Emergency Management’s Community Emergency Response

Team (CERT) will be created and trained to deliver the program, to significantly increase the capacity for severe weather public education in Niagara.

Niagara Region Emergency Management announced last week that they are currently seeking 100 new volunteers to join the CERT. Eligible applicants have until March 24 to apply.

ImpactWX is a Toronto-based social impact fund that supports innovation through strategic partnerships, direct investments, and charitable donations. Their mission is to improve people’s response and safety during severe weather events through scientific understanding and public awareness. The ImpactWX Genesis Grant provides small grants to people and community organizations focused on the development of new ideas related to severe weather response and awareness.